The origin of the breed, purpose, exterior standard of the Hungarian kuvasz, character, health, advice on care and training, interesting facts. Puppy cost. The Hungarian kuvasz dog is a truly ancient dog of the Hungarian kingdom, which felt equally great both in the royal chambers and in the hut of a Hungarian shepherd or peasant. Kuvas is a unique old friend and wonderful helper, watchman and guard, shepherd and hunter, who has gone through a centuries-old path of selfless service to man.
The history of the origin of the Hungarian kuvasz breed
Modern researchers, seriously engaged in the history of the origin of the famous Hungarian kuvasz, believe that his family traces its history from large nomadic dogs who accompanied the nomadic tribes of the Huns, Visigoths and Sarmatians during the Great Migration of peoples in the IV-VII centuries (some of the warlike nomads later moved to the settled lifestyle, settling on the shores of Lake Balaton). And there is real evidence of this. So in 1978, archaeologists during excavations near the Hungarian town of Keszthely near Lake Balaton discovered a fossilized skeleton of an ancient dog, which is almost completely identical in structure to the modern skeleton of a kuvasa dog. The find was found in a cultural layer dating back to the 9th century.
Scientists have not yet come to a consensus regarding the ethnic origin of the word "kuvasz" itself. Some researchers believe that the name of the breed comes from the Turkic "kavas", which means "soldier" or "guard". Others suggest that the word "kuvasz" still has Magyar roots and denotes the most common dog without clan and tribe. That is, an ordinary mongrel. But looking at a handsome dog of huge size, and even dressed in a luxurious white fur coat, it is difficult to agree with this.
Also, nowadays, many written confirmations of the existence of white kuvasses in the Middle Ages have been found. Large protective representatives of the breed were extremely valued by the medieval aristocrats of the Kingdom of Hungary and the states closest to it. They often accompanied their noble owners on military campaigns and travels, guarding and protecting.
The greatest flourishing of the Hungarian variety dates back to the 15th century and corresponds to the reign of King Matthias I Corvinus, who was a big fan of these large aboriginal dogs and successfully bred them at his court. It was a special honor for representatives of the Hungarian (and not only Hungarian) nobility to receive a kuvasa puppy as a gift from the king. It was rumored that King Matthias Corvin consulted more often and trusts his guard dogs much more than his own court nobles. However, the ruler was an enlightened and intelligent person, and his suspicion was fully justified - in his domain there were many intrigues and conspiracies, there were endless wars with the Ottoman Empire. Well, his special love for dogs and patronage of talented architects and artists made it possible to preserve for posterity many images of kuvass dogs on the canvases of painters of those years, and in stone - on the facades of buildings in Budapest. With the death of the king in 1490, interest in kuvasses among the aristocratic part of society gradually faded away and these dogs again returned to protection from predators grazing in the mountains of flocks.
The existence of the breed was forgotten for many years. And its very development for a long time happened by chance, entirely depending on the preferences of folk breeders. And only by the middle of the 19th century, they again paid attention to kuvasov, trying to revive the former glory and the best qualities of the species.
In 1863, the Hungarian dog was first shown to a wide circle of dog breeders and amateurs at an exhibition in Hamburg, amazing the audience with its enormous growth and unusually cute aristocratic exterior. In 1905, the first breed standard was developed, after which the kuvasse developed more or less steadily for several decades (with a break for the First World War).
In the mid-20s of the last century, kuwass dogs were brought to the United States. In 1931, they were recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) and entered in the Studbook of Dogs of the American Continent.
In 1937, the breed was also recognized by the International Cynological Federation (FCI), and entered the Studbook of the federation under the name "Hungarian Kuvasz".
With the arrival of the Nazis in Hungary in the 40s of the XX century, special attention was again paid to dogs. Some German fascist officers even took out several specimens of unique animals to their estates in Germany, intending to seriously engage in breeding a unique breed. But, the Second World War, which rolled like a fiery shaft across Hungary and Germany, left almost no chances for the Kuvasz dogs to survive. According to the estimates of dog handlers, immediately after the end of the war in 1945, only three dozen of these magnificent individuals, capable of procreation, remained in Hungary (other Hungarian sources indicate that there were no more than a dozen of them). The breed came close to the line of complete extinction.
Through the efforts of many enthusiasts, the Hungarian kuvasz has been revived over the years. And only recently did the breed return to its former population (however, significantly yielding to its former scale). There is a suspicion that the new breeding of the species was not without the participation of large Pyrenean dogs and Turkish Akbash, but Hungarian fans of the breed categorically deny this.
The variety is still rare and less common in other regions of the world (except Austria, Hungary and the Federal Republic of Germany). And although the Kuvasz Club of America was established in the United States in 1966, these animals are only in 155th place in the rating of the popularity of dogs in the United States. Let's hope that the real world recognition of these giant white dogs is yet to come.
Purpose and use of Hungarian kuvasz
Hungarian kuvasses, although they are considered herding dogs, at all times were used exclusively for protecting sheep, and not for grazing them. They hunted with them, guarded and guarded. And this was their main purpose.
Today, the breed is quite rare, and therefore it is difficult to say how much the functions of modern representatives of the species have changed in Hungary itself. Well, except that more and more often kuvasa became possible to meet at dog shows and championships.
Description of the external standard for Hungarian kuvasz
The specimen of the breed is one of the largest old dogs not only in Hungary, but also in Europe. Kuvasz is a dog with excellent physical characteristics - large, stately, with harmonious body proportions, with a unique wavy coat of white, and sometimes just snow-white. The maximum height at the withers in a kuvasa male reaches 75 centimeters (in bitches it is slightly less - up to 70 centimeters). The weight of the animal is also not small, in males - 48-62 kg, in females - 38-50 kg.
- Head Hungarian kuvasa is quite massive. The skull is clearly Molossian. Large and wide in the frontal region, separated by a deep medial groove. The occipital protuberance (crest) is pronounced. The stop (transition from the forehead to the muzzle) is shallow and not distinct. The muzzle is elongated, but not long, conical in shape. The lips are dense, dry, there may be small flecks. The color of the lips is black. The bridge of the nose is of medium length, wide and straight. The nose is rather large and black in color. The jaws are very strong and strong. The teeth are white, even, with a regular scissor bite.
- Eyes almond-shaped, slightly oblique and narrow-set. Eye color is usually brown (sometimes light brown or dark brown). The look is attentive, calm, direct. The eyelids are dry, dense, black in color that stands out well against the white fur of the animal.
- Ears low set, medium size, distinct V-shape with rounded tips, hanging along the cheekbones. In the calm state of the animal, the ears hang down calmly on the sides of the dog's head. When excited, they rise slightly, but never turn or straighten. They are never stopped.
- Neck the kuvas is muscular, powerful, short, tightly covered with skin, without dewlap.
- Torso strong, lightweight Molossian type, in good proportion (the body format is close to square), with well-developed muscles, with a strong bone structure. The chest is wide, well developed and somewhat full, the sternum stands out noticeably. The back is of medium length, broad, straight and well muscled. The line of the back is straight or slightly raised towards the croup. The withers are well defined, rather long and high. The croup is short and wide. The belly is tucked up enough.
- Tail Set low and directed downwards, rather long (up to the level of the hock), the tip of the tail is often slightly curled (bent) upwards. Usually the dog keeps it lowered down, only lifting it up when excited (but not above the level of the back). The tail is nicely covered with long hair. The fluffy tail is the breed pride of the dog and is never docked.
- Limbs even, parallel, in length proportionate to the body, strong and muscular, but not heavy. Paws are round or oval in shape, "in a lump", with elastic pads and strong long nails (usually light in color).
- Wool Hungarian kuvasa is long, rather tough, but prone to felting, wavy (but not curly), with a dense, dense and soft undercoat. On the body, hips and forearms, the fur is longer (up to 12 centimeters) and can curl into curls, get tangled, rolls and bunches (which causes certain difficulties when combing out). On the head, ears, front and inner parts of the limbs, the fur reaches two centimeters in length. The greatest length of hair is on the tail. There the guard hair can reach 15 centimeters in length.
- Color only uniformly white. The most prominent individuals have a snow-white coat.
The nature of kuvasa
Unlike other guard breeds, the Hungarian kuwass watchdogs have a softer and more friendly character. The specimen is energetic, but restrained and balanced. This dog is completely devoid of inadequate aggressiveness and striving for ostentatious domination (except in exceptional cases).
Being on guard, he is vigilant and attentive to strangers, but, like all large watchdogs, he is not inclined to waste his strength in vain and initially takes a wait-and-see attitude. And only in case of a clear violation of the territory it protects, the kuvasz rushes into a swift attack, plunging the stranger into flight.
Possessing a calm character, the dog is not prone to obsessive or fussy communication. He knows his own worth, and respects his master. The rest of the family members are slightly condescending, although well-disposed. Best of all, this large dog feels free, somewhere in the mountains or in the forest. Requires respect and living space. Does not tolerate the chain and leash. Like most herding dogs, he is not too prone to moving or carrying objects. Appreciates an intelligent, managerial owner with a strong character. The dog is unusually smart and is able to quickly find out who he is dealing with.
Hungarian Kuvasz easily converges with other dogs, although it requires a fairly early socialization. In relation to strangers and animals, it is rather wary, and when guarded, it is aggressive (although it is controllable). All animals and people are clearly divided into "ours" and "strangers" (there are no other options). In a relationship with the owner, it is distinguished by great devotion and unquestioning obedience. Poorly tolerates long separation from the owner. Kuvasi easily find contact with children, they love to play with this truly gigantic dog for them.
In general, now the Hungarian kuvasz is more and more acquired by the owners not for protection, and even more so not for grazing sheep, but as a pleasant companion, faithful friend, reliable and unobtrusive dog-companion.
Health of the Hungarian Kuvasz breed
In earlier years, the Hungarian guard dogs - Kuvasz were considered a very healthy breed of dog, easily able to endure heat and cold, resistant to infectious diseases.
But during the selection associated with the post-war revival of the breed, breeders probably used not only closely related inbreeding, but also crossing with other types of large white dogs (first of all, Turkish Akbash and Pyrenean dogs are suspected), which led to the appearance of hereditary health problems in all subsequent generations of animals.
The main predispositions are as follows: dysplasia of the hip and elbow joints, osteochondrosis, increased susceptibility to cruciate ligament injuries, progressive retinal atrophy, hypothyroidism (rare), poor blood clotting (rare).
The average lifespan of these cute white giants is 10-12 years.
Dog Grooming Tips
The Hungarian Kuvasz is an unpretentious working dog in all respects, capable of getting along with the most necessary things, both in the course and in keeping, and in food.
If you are raising a champion dog, then you have to work hard. This is especially true of the coat of kuvas, prone to knocking into tangles, lumps and strands. You will have to comb out and bathe such a huge pet quite often, and especially during the molting period (twice a year).
However, all the standard practice guidelines for keeping and caring for large long-haired dogs (such as the St. Bernard, Newfoundland or Large Pyrenean dog) are quite suitable for this rare pet.
Features of dog training
Hungarian Kuvasz Shepherd Dogs are distinguished by a calm temperament and a rather docile character. It is especially easy to learn skills aimed at protecting a territory or an object.
Nevertheless, it is better to train Kuvasz under the guidance of an experienced dog handler with practical skills in working with large breed dogs.
Interesting facts about Hungarian kuvasz
It is curious what appears under the white and sometimes snow-white wool of the kuvass hides a skin of a dark (and even black !!!) color. This is especially noticeable on the belly of the dog (the coat there is much shorter). Not surprisingly, the dog's eyelids and lips are also black.
But the wool itself from kuvasz should be uniformly white. Only shades slightly reminiscent of pale ivory are allowed. Well, the dazzling snow color of the dog is only welcome.
At the beginning of the last century, the long wavy hair of kuvasz, forming peculiar curls, attracted the attention of specialists a lot. These curled strands even had their own unique names. For example, until 1924 they were called "fluktuosus" - that is, "crumbling in waves", and since 1935 a new term was coined - "undulans", which meant "broad-wavy".
Price when buying a Hungarian kuvasz puppy
In Russia, this variety is not yet very well known. For the first time, Russians learned about the breed in June 2007 at the Moscow Dog Show, which brought together not only representatives of the Hungarian National Kuvasse Club, but also the first Russian kuvasov breeders with their pets from the cities of Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan and St. Petersburg. And although it is still premature to talk about the abundance of purebred kuvass puppies on the Russian market, the "ice has broken" and the times are not far off when it will be quite easy to buy them in Russia. In the meantime, the cost of puppies of a white Hungarian dog is in the range from 600 to 1500 US dollars (depending on gender and class).
More useful information about Hungarian kuvasz in this video:
